Jimbo Fisher: Jermaine Thomas 'not a non-factor' for FSU

Questions raised about key senior tailback's value after he was barely used in opener

September 4, 2011|By Coley Harvey

TALLAHASSEE — One moment it seemed Jermaine Thomas wore the hottest number in Florida State's backfield. The next, more attention was being paid to what No. 38 was doing off the field instead of on it.

Dressed, with his helmet at his side for much of Saturday afternoon's game between No. 6 FSU and Louisiana-Monroe, Thomas, a Jacksonville native and the program's active career rushing leader, watched as running back after running back entered the game ahead of him.

It wasn't until the closing minutes of the 34-0 Seminoles victory that he finally saw game action.

But worry not, coach Jimbo Fisher said. The senior will be used plenty this season.

"He's not a non-factor," Fisher said. "It's just that he was banged up at the beginning of camp. … Thirty-eight will have a big role with this team before it's all through. (He) will be back in the mix and playing. We have no inclination of being down (on him)."

Part of Thomas' general inactivity stemmed from the fact that the other tailbacks competed all preseason, while he missed multiple days due to migraine issues. Fisher added that ULM's 3-3-5, box-stacking defense made it difficult to implement a rushing game.

Quick hits

•ESPNU cameras caught FSU offensive line coach and associate head coach Rick Trickett tearing up after the last Seminoles score. The sight of an emotional Trickett was a sharp departure from his normally fiery on-field persona.

He was welling up because his son, redshirt freshman quarterback Clint Trickett, had just completed the first touchdown pass of his career. It was a 28-yarder to true freshman Rashad Greene.